I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier

John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band, Flux Fiddlers

About I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier

"I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier, Mama" (also known as "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier") is a song written and performed by John Lennon, and released in 1971 as the fifth track on his second studio album, Imagine. The song is a rant against the expectations of society.


Year:
1971
6:08
124 
#3

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Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Well, I don't want to be a sailor mama, I don't want to fly
Well, I don't want to be a failure mama, I don't want to cry
Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no

Well, I don't want to be a rich man mama, I don't want to cry
Well, I don't want to be a poor man mama, I don't want to fly
Well, I don't want to be a lawyer mama, I don't want to lie
Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey

Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Well, I don't want to be a thief now mama, I don't want to fly
Well, I don't want to be a churchman mama, I don't want to cry
Well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, hey

Oh well, I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Well, I don't want to be a sailor mama, I don't want to fly
Well, I don't want to be a failure mama, I don't want to cry
I don't want to be a soldier mama, I don't want to die
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no

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John Lennon

John Ono Lennon MBE, born John Winston Lennon (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a founder, and member of the Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Together with Paul McCartney, he formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century. Lennon left the Beatles at the end of the sixties soon after meeting Yoko Ono. He formed the Plastic Ono Band and continued a succesful solo career recording until 1975, when his second child Sean Lennon was born. In 1980, with the release of the LP "Double Fantasy," Lennon was once more in the publice eye. Lennon passed away after being shot b… more »

14 fans

Written by: John Lennon

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Recording
"I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier" was recorded by John Lennon, former member of the Beatles, in 1971. The song was part of the hit album "Imagine," which was Lennon's second solo record after the Beatles split.
Musical Genre
This song extends Lennon’s musical range into the territory of psychedelic rock. It is rich in looped rhythms and distorted musical contours, which was a shift from Lennon’s earlier works.
Collaborations
The song features a host of famous musicians, including George Harrison from the Beatles on guitar, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Phil Spector, who co-produced the song and album with Lennon and Yoko Ono.
Lyrics Theme
The song doesn't have a traditional structure or a recurring chorus. Its lyrics convey an anti-war message, reflecting Lennon’s personal beliefs and pacifist sentiments at the time.
Album Success
"I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier" is part of the "Imagine" album, which topped the charts in both the US and UK. Despite this, the song was never released as a single.
Lennon’s Emotion
Lennon publicly referred to "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier" as a cry from within himself, sharing his deep-seated aversion to violence and his wish not to participate in war.
Song Length
At almost six and a half minutes, "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier" is one of the longest songs on the album "Imagine," something quite unusual for pop records at the time.
Based on Personal Experience
Lennon drew upon some of his life experiences for the creation of this song. The line, "Mama, mama, you can hold your head high," for instance, is thought to reflect his feelings about his mother’s death.
Sound Effects
An interesting sound effect in the song is the use of echo chamber, which contributes to the song's surreal sound.
Social Context
The song was written during the Vietnam War and is usually interpreted as Lennon's personal rejection of war. Lennon was an active participant in the anti-war movement and this song was seen as an expression of his views.

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